all things food
—————————————————— Thank you for reading! This is a premium post available to subscribers only. While most of the site is open to all,…
Source
Indulge in a square of lightly spiced and deeply chocolate cheesecake, with distinct layers of chocolate cookie crust, silky smooth chocolate cheesecake infused with chai spices, and a decadent chocolate ganache to finish it all off. Sugar and spice and everything nice… that’s definitely what these cheesecake bars are made of. Simple to prepare and […]
The post Chocolate Chai Cheesecake Bars first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.
Indulge in a square of lightly spiced and deeply chocolate cheesecake, with distinct layers of chocolate cookie crust, silky smooth chocolate cheesecake infused with chai spices, and a decadent chocolate ganache to finish it all off.
Sugar and spice and everything nice… that’s definitely what these cheesecake bars are made of. Simple to prepare and even easier to eat (no fork required), you’ll love everything about this decadent treat.
If you haven’t already noticed, I love bar-ifying recipes that aren’t typically served as squares. From cookies to coffee cake and even pumpkin pie, squares are quickly becoming my favorite serving shape. Needless to say I’ve definitely been getting my money’s worth out of my trusty 8-by-8 pan.
These chocolate chai cheesecake bars (or, as they’re known colloquially, Ch³ Bars) are adapted from my triple chocolate cheesecake recipe, scaled down and infused with sultry chai spices and transformed into easy-to-eat bars.
Originating from India, chai literally means tea (derived from ‘cha’, the Chinese word for tea, so when you go around saying ‘chai tea’ you’re actually saying ‘tea tea’ FYI). Chai has become a word that is used on its own to describe what is more technically known as masala chai, a fragrant blend of spices infused into a tea-like beverage (often with black tea, but that’s not always the case).
The actual spices that you’ll find in masala chai varies greatly depending on the maker. Most include cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, with some blends containing coriander, star anise, and even black pepper.
In this recipe, the fragrant chai spices meet with dark, bittersweet chocolate in multiple forms for a unique, multi-faceted flavor. Cardamom isn’t a spice you usually see paired with chocolate, which is a shame, as it proves to be a truly transcendent pairing (and considering I’m not usually a huge fan of cardamom, that’s saying something).
Comfort food is the best kind of food. I am talking about chicken pot pie, baked mac and cheese, chili, baked ziti, and this Potato Soup. There is nothing better than cozying up to a hearty meal that tastes delicious and makes you feel better. Bring on…
Comfort food is the best kind of food. I am talking about chicken pot pie, baked mac and cheese, chili, baked ziti, and this Potato Soup. There is nothing better than cozying up to a hearty meal that tastes delicious and makes you feel better. Bring on the cozy! This classic Potato Soup recipe is…
The post Potato Soup appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.
I love baking with apples: apple crumble, apple cobbler, and apple muffins are a few of my “must makes” during the fall months, and now I have a new favorite. This Apple Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is absolute perfection! I love m…
I love baking with apples: apple crumble, apple cobbler, and apple muffins are a few of my “must makes” during the fall months, and now I have a new favorite. This Apple Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is absolute perfection! I love making bundt cakes because they are easy, feed a crowd, and you…
The post Apple Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.
Would you like some coffee with your coffee? This buzz-worthy coffee cake features a crunchy espresso crumb and a flavorful espresso glaze drizzled on top. I’ll take any excuse to eat cake for breakfast, and this espresso crumb coffee cake is a sure thing: with a moist sour-cream cake base and delightfully crunchy topping, plus […]
The post Espresso Crumb Coffee Cake first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.
Would you like some coffee with your coffee? This buzz-worthy coffee cake features a crunchy espresso crumb and a flavorful espresso glaze drizzled on top.
I’ll take any excuse to eat cake for breakfast, and this espresso crumb coffee cake is a sure thing: with a moist sour-cream cake base and delightfully crunchy topping, plus a sweet espresso glaze to finish it off.
Nearly half of the comments on my Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake are from readers confused and wondering, “Where’s the coffee?!” Like they are convinced I mistyped my own recipe (hey, it happens) and simply forgot the coffee in the ingredient list.
But no, I’ve explained over and over, the recipe is correct, there is no actual coffee in the coffee cake.
If you live outside the US, you may be wondering, “What the heck?!”
In the US, coffee cake refers to a muffin-like breakfast cake meant to be served with coffee.
But as I’ve discovered, in the UK and other countries, coffee cake is a cake with coffee flavoring, which I guess makes sense and explains the confusion with my recipes. Although over there you also have tea cakes which are, you guessed it, made to be served with tea and do not contain any tea themselves, so who’s being confusing now, eh?
Anyway. After the 1,257th “Where’s the coffee?!” comment I received, I figured why not make a coffee coffee cake, a breakfast cake flavored with coffee, to appease everyone? (I also need to edit my other coffee cake recipes at some point to clarify that they are American-style coffee cakes and no, I didn’t actually forget to include coffee in the ingredient list).
Perhaps next I’ll make a matcha coffee cake or an espresso tea cake, just to mess with everyone a bit more (but honestly those ideas sound quite delicious so I might just actually do it).
These loaded smashed potatoes are boiled until tender and fluffy, baked until golden and crispy, and piled high with toppings!
The post Loaded Smashed Potatoes appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Um, if you’ve never had smashed potatoes before, let this be a sign from the universe that you need to make them immediately. These tasty little taters are boiled until fluffy and tender on the inside, then smashed and baked until crispy on the outside. Then I went one step further (because of course I did) and loaded them up with my favorite baked potato fixins’. These Loaded Smashed Potatoes are everything I’ve ever wanted.
I highly suggest splurging a little on small baby potatoes, the kind that are about the size of a golf ball. They cook quickly and have the perfect skin to flesh ratio to make these smashed potatoes just right. Plus, they are always so smooth and creamy on the inside.
I kept my smashed potato toppings fairly simple because I like to work with what I have on hand. I seasoned with some Everything Bagel Seasoning, then topped with cheddar, sour cream, and green onion. Here are some other toppings you can try:
If you can’t find everything bagel seasoning at a store, here is a recipe for homemade everything bagel seasoning. Or, if you want to use something else, you could use Montreal Steak Seasoning (a similarly chunky seasoning mix), or maybe a little ranch seasoning (mix with the oil before brushing onto potatoes). Another option is to do a simple classic mix of garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
The classic flavors in these smashed potatoes go with so many different meals and they can add a fun twist to your usual “meat and potatoes” dinner. Try them with my Baked Chicken Drumsticks, Honey Mustard Chicken Wings, Brown Sugar Roasted Pork Loin, Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, or Homemade Chicken Nuggets. Or just serve them on their own as a snacky-snack for movie night or something. ;)
Place 1.5 lbs. baby potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover them by one inch. Also add 2 tsp salt to the water to season the potatoes as they cook. Place a lid on the pot and bring the water up to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes, or until they are very tender (test with a fork). Drain the potatoes in a colander.
While the potatoes are boiling, preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 2 Tbsp olive oil and ½ Tbsp everything bagel seasoning in a small bowl.
Transfer the drained potatoes to the baking sheet and use a heavy-bottomed glass to smash them until they’re sort of flattened.
Brush the oil and seasoning over the surface of the smashed potatoes.
Bake the smashed potatoes in the preheated 425ºF oven for about 30 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and crispy on the edges. Then remove them from the oven and top with shredded cheese (about 1 cup total). Return them to the oven for a few more minutes to melt the cheese.
Once the cheese is melted, remove them from the oven again and top each potato with a tiny dollop of sour cream, then sprinkle sliced green onions over top.
The post Loaded Smashed Potatoes appeared first on Budget Bytes.
This Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread is rich, moist, and a little spicy. It’s perfect for pairing with your favorite soup or chili.
The post Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread appeared first on Budget Bytes.
As if cornbread wasn’t delicious enough on its own, I went ahead and stirred in a pile of shredded cheddar cheese and chopped jalapeño. Because why not? And since this Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread is on the spicy side, I decided to go with a richer cornbread batter that includes sour cream and an extra egg to kind of balance the heat. The result is rich, cheesy, moist, and ✨spicy✨.
It’s pretty spicy. Despite scraping the seeds out of the jalapeño that is mixed into the batter, the heat still seems to permeate the cornbread pretty well. If you’re not into heat, you can certainly just make this a plain cheddar cornbread or stir in some mild diced green chiles in place of the jalapeño.
I used a ceramic baking dish, but I’ve also tested the recipe using a glass baking dish, and they both worked great. An 8×8-inch square dish is probably the best size. You could also bake this in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, although you may want to preheat it just a bit before adding the batter.
Yes, just divide the batter equally between about ten wells of a muffin tin and bake at the same temperature. Because the muffins are smaller and have more surface area exposed to the heat, the baking time will be shorter. Just keep an eye on the muffins starting at about 20 minutes, and let them continue to bake until puffed in the center and golden brown around the edges.
Allow the cornbread to cool completely to room temperature and then store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Or, you can wrap it tightly in plastic, place it in a freezer bag, and freeze it for a few months. To thaw, simply let the cornbread sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or microwave for 30 seconds or so.
Love cornbread? Try these other cornbread flavors: Sweet Potato Cornbread, Lemon Blueberry Cornbread Skillet, Easy Homemade Cornbread (classic cornbread), or Hatch Chile Sweet Potato Cornbread.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and use about 1 tsp butter to grease the inside of an 8×8-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 Tbsp sugar, 3 tsp baking powder, and ¾ tsp salt.
Remove the seeds from one jalapeño and then finely dice the pepper. Slice the second jalapeño into rounds. The diced jalapeño will go into the batter and the rounds will be used as a topping.
Add the diced jalapeño and most of your 4oz. shredded cheddar cheese to the bowl with the dry ingredients (save about ¼ of the cheese to use as a topping). Stir the jalapeño and cheddar into the flour mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together ½ cup milk, 2 large eggs, and ¼ cup cooking oil.
Pour the bowl of wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients.
Stir until everything is moist. Avoid over stirring. It’s okay if it’s a little lumpy.
Spread the cornbread batter into an 8×8-inch baking dish, then top with the sliced jalapeños. Finish by topping with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake the cornbread in the preheated 400ºF oven for about 35 minutes or until the center is puffed and it’s golden brown around the edges.
Slice the cornbread into nine pieces and serve warm with your favorite soup or chili!!
The post Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Guess what time it is! Comfort-food-o’clock. And what makes better comfort food than a rich creamy pasta dish, like this One Pot Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff? This is yet another “better than the box” meal. It cooks in one easy pot, just like hamburger helper stroganoff, but it’s homemade. You’re going to want to tuck […]
The post One Pot Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Guess what time it is! Comfort-food-o’clock. And what makes better comfort food than a rich creamy pasta dish, like this One Pot Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff? This is yet another “better than the box” meal. It cooks in one easy pot, just like hamburger helper stroganoff, but it’s homemade. You’re going to want to tuck this recipe into your back pocket for those nights when you’re super tired and need an extra comforting meal. :)
Originally posted 2-17-14, updated 5-20-21
I used half ground beef and half mushrooms to stretch my pennies a bit further, but you could do all mushrooms or all beef if you prefer. If you’re doing a vegetarian version with all mushrooms, use mushroom or vegetable broth to replace the beef broth.
One pot recipes can be a bit tricky for some, so here are some pointers:
Every piece of cookware and every range top is different, so one pot recipes are a bit like riding a bike. You have to feel it out and find the sweet spot for the equipment you’re using.
The broth brings a lot of flavor to this beef and mushroom stroganoff, so make sure you’re using a nice and flavorful broth that has adequate salt. I like to use Better than Bouillon to make broth for recipes because it’s super flavorful, I can mix up any amount I need, and the jar stays good in the refrigerator for months, so there are no leftovers to go to waste. If you still find your stroganoff to be on the bland side in the end, an extra pinch of salt can really help the flavors pop.
Want more One Pot Recipes? Check out our One Pot Recipe Archives!
Begin by sautéing 2 cloves of minced garlic in 2 Tbsp of butter until soft (1-2 minutes). You can use a large pot or large skillet, as long as it is big enough to hold all of the pasta AND has a lid (the lid will be used later).
Next, add 1/2 lb. ground beef and continue to sauté until it is fully browned.
While the beef is browning, slice 8oz. mushrooms. White button mushrooms are fine, but if you can get these baby bella mushrooms they are even more awesome (shout out to ALDI for carrying these at an affordable price).
Once the beef is browned, add the mushrooms and some freshly cracked pepper. Continue to sauté until they are soft (about five minutes).
Add ½ lb. wide egg noodles to the skillet along with 2 cups beef broth, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and ½ tsp Dijon mustard. Stir to combine. The broth will not fully cover the noodles, but that’s okay. The steam in the skillet will help cook them and they’ll be stirred to make sure even cooking.
Place a lid on the skillet and bring the broth up to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, give it a quick stir to loosen the noodles from the bottom, return the lid quickly, and turn the heat down to low. Let the skillet simmer, stirring occasionally and always replacing the lid, for 7-10 minutes or until the noodles are tender and there is only a small amount of thick sauce left in the skillet.
Finally, add ⅓ cup sour cream and fold it into the noodles until everything is creamy and delicious!
Top off the beef and mushroom stroganoff with a little chopped parsley for color (because stroganoff is kind of boring to look at) and it’s time to dive into that skillet full of creamy goodness! You might want to give it a taste at this point to see if you want a little extra salt or pepper (again, depending on the salt content of your broth), but other than that it’s time to eat! And only one dish to clean. :)
The post One Pot Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff appeared first on Budget Bytes.
This creamy, cheesy hot corn dip will be the star of the show at your next party, gathering, or BBQ. Easy to double for larger crowds!
The post Hot Corn Dip appeared first on Budget Bytes.
If you like chips and queso, you’re going to love this hot corn dip. It’s like queso’s older hotter cousin. It’s got all that creamy cheesy goodness, plus a little sweetness from the corn, plenty of color from the peppers, and a little kick of spicy heat. And a little bowl of cool salsa on the side offers the perfect complimentary flavors and textures. THIS will be a staple at every party that I hope the future holds.
To make this dip, I started with my recipe for Spinach Artichoke Dip and simply swapped out the spinach and artichoke for corn and peppers, keeping that creamy-cheesy base. I then added a few more southwest flavors, like green onion, cumin, pepper jack cheese, and hot sauce to really solidify the flavor profile. The result? A super creamy, cheesy, slightly spicy dip that you won’t be able to stop dunking chips into.
I always like to present a sort of “base layer” recipe to which you can add if your budget allows. If you want to go above and beyond with your hot corn dip, consider using a fire roasted corn for a more smoky flavor (I’ve seen fire roasted frozen corn at Trader Joes). You can also try stirring in some crumbled bacon, topping with some pico de gallo, or fresh cilantro.
This delicious dip is a natural choice during the summer months when fresh corn is cheap, sweet, and in abundance. To use fresh corn in this recipe you’ll want to roast, grill, or boil your corn before adding it to the mix. You’ll need about 3 cups of cooked corn kernels.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Remove the seeds and stems from one red bell pepper and jalapeño, then finely dice them. Mince two cloves of garlic and slice 3 green onions. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the red bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic. Sauté the peppers and garlic over medium heat for a few minutes, or just until the red bell pepper begins to soften.
Add a 12 oz. bag of frozen corn to the skillet and continue to sauté until the corn is heated through.
Cut 4 oz. cream cheese into chunks, then add it to the skillet along with ¼ cup sour cream and 2 Tbsp mayonnaise. Stir them into the vegetables until they are melted, smooth, and creamy.
Next, add sliced green onion, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp hot sauce, ½ cup shredded pepper jack, and 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan. Stir until everything is combined and melted together.
Transfer the hot corn dip into a 2-quart baking dish and top with the remaining ½ cup shredded pepper jack.
Bake the hot corn dip in the preheated 375ºF oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and the dip is bubbling around the edges.
Serve hot while the cheese is ooey-gooey and delicious!
The post Hot Corn Dip appeared first on Budget Bytes.
These bright and zesty Tacos feature Tajín seasoned shrimp and a simple slaw dressed with a homemade avocado dressing.
The post Tajín Shrimp Tacos appeared first on Budget Bytes.
As the weather starts to warm up I start craving light, fresh food, like these Tajín Shrimp Tacos. These tacos are so simple, with bright chili-lime flavored Tajín seasoned shrimp and a simple slaw made with homemade avocado dressing. They’re the perfect little bites to enjoy with the first warm rays of sun of the season! As always, I’ll list some substitutions and add-on ideas for you below!
Tajín seasoning is a Mexican spice blend containing chili, lime, and salt. This super simple blend packs huge flavor and is incredibly delicious when sprinkled onto fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, or really just about everything. You can find this seasoning in the produce department of most major grocery stores in the U.S. Scroll down to the step-by-step photos below to see a photo of the bottle, so you know what to look for! :)
If you’re not a fan of shrimp, you can also use Tajín to season white fish, like cod, tilapia, or Mahi Mahi instead. You could also use the Tajín to season some cubed or shredded chicken.
Yes, you have a few different options for dressing the slaw for these tacos. When I first made this recipe, I actually used a store-bought guacamole salsa mixed with a little bit of mayonnaise to make the slaw. You could also use something like an avocado ranch dressing, or make my Cilantro Lime Coleslaw.
I had half a head of purple cabbage in my fridge that I used for this recipe, but you could also use fresh green cabbage, or even take a short cut by using bagged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots). Green cabbage may even work a little better here because the natural pigment of the purple cabbage turns kind of brown when mixed with the green avocado dressing.
Tacos are great because they’re so flexible. There are so many things you could add to these tacos to make them your own. Here are a few ideas:
I suggest keeping your side dish light, with something like Charred Corn and Zucchini Salad, Cucumber and Black Bean Salad, or Warm Corn and Avocado Salad. Or you can go with some simple sides like Quick Seasoned Black Beans and Cilantro Lime Rice.
Make the avocado dressing first. Add one avocado, ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 clove of garlic, ¼ cup cilantro, 2 Tbsp lime juice, and ¼ tsp salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Shred ½ head cabbage (about 4 cups) and slice one jalapeño.
Toast 12 small corn tortillas. You can do this over the open flame of a gas stove or in a very hot dry skillet. They only take about 10 seconds per side to toast. This gives them a deliciously toasty corn flavor and helps strengthen them a bit.
If your shrimp are frozen, place them in a colander and run cool water over them until thawed (it’s pretty fast). Remove the peels and tails, if still attached. Place 12oz. raw medium peeled shrimp in a bowl and add ½ Tbsp Tajín seasoning. Stir to coat the shrimp in seasoning.
Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a skillet over medium. When the skillet and oil are hot, add the seasoned shrimp. Sauté the shrimp until they are opaque (this should only take a few minutes). If there is a lot of liquid in the bottom of the skillet, remove the shrimp and let the liquid simmer a few more minutes to thicken. Turn off the heat and toss the shrimp in the thickened sauce.
Just before serving, prepare the slaw. Add about ½ cup of the avocado dressing to the shredded cabbage and stir to coat. The rest of the dressing will be used to top the tacos.
To build the tacos, add some of the prepared slaw to each tortilla, top with a few shrimp and a couple slices of jalapeño. Drizzle some of the remaining avocado dressing over top, then enjoy!
The post Tajín Shrimp Tacos appeared first on Budget Bytes.